Check-book.



CHECK BOOK.

APPLlcATloN FILED JUNE 1, 1915.

b LF K M m C.

E. A. LEAVITT.

' 4 EMS/Zar i ernten.

ELGIN A. LEAVITT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CHECK-1300K. i

specication of Letters raamt.` l 'V ptnted Jjlqg, 1917,

Application filed J'une 1. 1915. Serial No.4 31,601.

To all whom t may concern Be it known .that I, ELGIN A. LnAvrr'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful ,Check-Book, of which the following i check books have been devised to overcome v this objection.

A common form of check is that known as the American Bankers Association check, which is issued in convenient denominations, a number of these checks being bound in a single book. These checks are purchased at a slight advance over their face value, and are signed by the purchaser.A Such checks are yreadily accepted without identification, the purchaser countersigning same, his counter-signature being sufficient identification if it compares exactly with the signature appearing in the body of the check. The American Bankers Association check, and similar checks, are in general use, and are a convenient substitute for currency being negotiable only by the purchaser of the check and therefore in a measure protecting the purchaserl against loss by theft. They are open to the objection, however, thatthey must be drawn forV a fixed amount even though the user has no immediate use for the whole amount. This' is objectionable in that itis often impossible'to get them cashed f for this amount, t specially when they are in large denominations'. Y

The principal object of my invention is to provide a' certicate of deposit check banking art.

which is limited'to a fixed maximum amount, but which may be drawn for a lesser amount should the purchaser ofthe'l check desire to do so. As these checks are readily negotiathe vcheck is drawn be absolutely xed, so that there is no possibility of any subsequent f holder of the check raising the amount for which it was drawn by erasures, or changes on the body of the check.` *l

A further object of my invention is to provide a check having a maximum limit indicated on the face thereof, and a limiting4 portion which may be torn ofi' to indicate a` lesser amount. As the total amount for which the checks are issued is a fixed one it is evident that if'the checks are drawn for a smaller amount than the maximum limit there will remain a balance on some, or all,

of the checks, so that the purchaser of the check book will still have a balance due him from the bank of issue after all the checks have been used.

A further object of my invention is to provide a stub which remains in the check book after the check is detached. This stub indicates the balance, this balance being the difference between the maximum limit of the check and the amount for which the check was drawn. l

When the check book is originally issued it is to all intents and `purposes a certiiicate of deposit and in the practical working ofrmy inventionv I prefer to embody a certificate of deposit in'thecheck book with the checks. This certificate of deposit indicates the total amount of all the checks in the book. When all or a portion of these checks have been issued for smaller amounts than their maximum limit there will remain a balance'du'el the purchaser of the book, andfit is a further object of my invention to provide on the back of the certificate of deposit Va closing check which `may be drawn for an amount equal to the balance due the purchaser'of the book, and which when presented with the stubs andV properly filled out andindorsed will be cashed by thebank of issue. This closing check will then serve to balance the certificate of deposit, and when tornout willl indicate that the certificate. of ing'my invention is illustrated. i

Further objects and advantages will be evident to bankers, `or those skilled in the In thedrawings one form of book embodyingl my invention is illustrated zfFigu're'` '1* is ,a ,face of a preferred form `of check with itsstubv and limiting portion attached, a number of these checks of similar, or different denominations being bound 'up in a check book. Fig. 2 illustrates a different Aform 'of limiting portion.' Fig.l Elfillus- Fig. 7 illustrates the appearance of the check illustrated in Fig. 3 after it is detached.-

l'n-these drawings a cheek A is provided having a space for the signature B, and having plainly indicated thereon ak maximumlimit C, va space also being provided for the countersignature D. The maximum limit C may be indicated by large numerals, or may be perforated, Yembossed,-or other-Wise indicated. This maximum limit-C is the amount for Which the check is purchased, and is the greatest amount for Which the check can be di'awn.- Suitable instructions are given on the face of the'checkmakingv it evident that the amount for Vwhich thef check is drawn cannot exceed Vthis maximum limit. The-check is attached Vto a limitingportion E.- This limiting portion,r as shown in-Fig.`

1consists of small stubs numbered from one dollar to ten dollars, thelimitingportion E terminating in a stub F Which is bound up in the check book, and Which-has the maximum limit of the' check indicated plainly thereon.

In the forni-of my invention.illustrated in Fig. 2, the check A is exactly similarto the check illustrated in Fig.v l, and the stub F is exactly similar to the stub illustrated in Fig. l, the limiting portion G consisting of tivo columns,` one indicating dollars and the other cents. ThisV check may beY tornoif as indicated in Fig. 6, so that it can-be drawn not only for an even-number of dollars, but

Valso for a number of dollars and any even number of dimes. n

In. the form of my invention illustratediin Fig. 3 aA check having similar characteristics is shown. Intliis check the rlimiting portion H consists of two series of` strips, one I indicating dollars, and oneportion J indicating cents.- This may be tornoif as illus-- trated in Fig 7vv to illustrate a number of dollars and any number of even` dimes.- The closing check K can-be' of any. convenient for-my and should have'a signature L, and a space for. counter-signature ML. In a similar The methodv ofoperation of this invention is as follows: The check booksY beingmade up inany convenient amounts-are purchasedv for a= given-sum of money and the certificate ofdeposit N-covering this'amount ofmoney,

and being unmistakable indication that the purchaser of the book-has a deposit equaling that amount. The presentation of the certiiica-te of deposit together With the check book is therefore an unmistakable indication that the purchaser has money on deposit and that the checks are good. Whenever the purchaser'of the book desires to cash a check, or to vtender it inpayment for merchandise he fills out the check for an amount equa-l to,

or less than the maximum .limitV of the check as indicated at C. If the form ofcheck indicated in Fig. 1 is usedvtheV amount for which the check is made outl must be even dollars, but by using the YformV of checks illustrated in Figs. 2, or 3, even dollars and even dimes may be indicated. ln practice the form shown in Fig. l` answers practically all requirements and is preferred. It can, ofcourse, be made' for other.y amounts than ten dollars, this amount beingsimply shown for illustrative purposes.`

The purchaser ofthe check fills in the amount for which he. desires to draw the check, inserts the name ofthe party to Whose order the check is to-be paid, and countersigns it inthe presence of that party, the identity of the counter-signaturek With his original signature already o n-the check serving to positively Videntify him as the original purchaserof Athe book. The check is then detached so that the .limiting portion E indicates the amountfor Which the check .is drawn,-this limiting. portion then serving to protect the purchaser of the book against subsequent alterations of the Ycheck to increase the amount thereof. The stub of the check With the remainder of the limiting portions. serves to indicateY at all timesV the amount for which the check Was drawn, and therefore thebalanceof the certificate of deposit remainingV to the credit Vof thev purchaser of` the check. After the checks have been drawn they may pass from bank to bank like an ordinary check.

Whenever. the checks have all been used, or earlier'- ifVY desired the vpurchaser of the check book can Withdraw any balance due himas evidenced by the condition of his cheek book, by simply'llingin the closing check K- and presenting it, this check When detached serving; to cancel the certificate of deposit which is printed onthe back thereof.

It is evident that byy the general use of check books embodyingv my invention the issuance of. fictitious checks would. be largely readily as any form of money now in general use. By the use of the limiting portions E, G, C, and I, or by the use of similar limiting portions the alteration of the check after its issue Would be very largely prevented.

I claim as my invention:

l. A check book comprising a certificate of deposit, and a series of checks bound therewith each of said checks having a maximum limit indicated thereon, the sum of the limits of all the checks equaling the amount of the certificate of deposit, and each check having a detachable limit portion Which may be torn o to indicate an amount equal to or less than the maximum limit of that check, the stub from which the check is torn being left in the book to indicate the amount for Which the check Was drawn, or to indicate the difference between the amount for which the check Was drawn and the maximum limit of the check; the certificate .of deposit having a closing check printed thereon which When properly filled out Will be cashed by the bank of issue for an amount equal to the face value of the certificate of deposit less the checks drawn against same as evidenced by said stubs.

2. A check book comprising a certicate of deposit, a series of checks, means on each check for indicating a maximum limit for which the check may be drawn, the sum of the limits of the checks being equal to the amount of the certificate of deposit, and means for binding said certicate of deposit and said checks together` to form a book.

3. A check book comprising a certificate of deposit, aseries of checks, means on each check for indicating a maximum limit for which the check may be dra-Wn, the sum of the limits of the checks being equal to the amount of the certificate of deposit, a stub for each ycheck to Which said check is initially attached, means on said stub for indieating the amount for Which the check Was drawn, and means for binding said stubs and said certificate of deposit together to form a book.

4. A check book comprising a certificate of deposit, a series of checks, means on each check for indicating a maximum limit for which the check may be drawn, the sum of the limits of the checks being equal to the amount of the certificate of deposit, a closing check, and means for binding said certificate of deposit, said series of checks, and said closing check together to form a book.

5. A check book comprising a certificate of deposit, a series of checks, means on each check for indicating a maximum limit for which the check may be drawn, the sum of the limits of the checks being equal to the amount of the certificate of deposit, a stub for each check to which said check is initially attached, means on said stub for indicating the amount for Which the check Was drawn, a closing check, and means for binding said certificate of deposit, said stubs and said closing check together to form a book.

In testimony whereof?, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 24th day of May, 1915.

ELGIN A. LEAVITT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

